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Gulp: A Kansas defender tops preseason All-Big 12 football

Kansas defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr. has been voted the preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year by the media and is one of only three unanimous choices on the team.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners is tackled by defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr. #46 of the Kansas Jayhawks during the game at Memorial Stadium on October 31, 2015 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

To be sure, Armstrong is a good one. Real good. He is the conference’s returning leader in sacks (10.0) and tackles for loss (20), a total that was fifth best in the NCAA. He also had three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Armstrong, a 6-foot-4-inch, 246-pound junior, is a former three-star recruit from Galena Park North Shore, overlooked by Texas, Oklahoma and others.

The only other unanimous choices to the team are Oklahoma State wide receiver James Washington and Oklahoma left tackle Orlando Brown.

Stunningly, at least one Big 12 media representative did not vote for Texas left tackle Connor Williams. The 6-6, 320-pounder, who did make the team, is getting preseason All-American acclaim and is considered a top-15 NFL Draft pick should he leave school after his junior season.

To no one’s surprise, Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield is the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. The former Lake Travis star is a former Big 12 Offensive POY and finished third in last year’s Heisman Trophy voting. Mayfield is one of the Heisman favorites this year.

Mayfield has directed the Sooners to back-to-back Big 12 championships. Last year he smashed the FBS single-season pass efficiency rating mark with a 196.4 and also led the nation in completion percentage (70.9) and yards per pass attempt (11.1). He threw for 3,965 yards and 40 touchdowns against just eight interceptions.

West Virginia junior quarterback Will Grier, a transfer from Florida, was selected Newcomer of the Year. All reports indicate Grier, a former four-star recruit from Davidson, N.C., will quickly become one of the best passers in the Big 12. As a redshirt freshman for the Gators in 2015, Grier started five games and threw for 10 touchdowns and three interceptions.

Texas and Oklahoma topped the team with five players apiece. The Longhorns are Williams, defensive linemen Malcolm Roach and Poona Ford, linebacker Malik Jefferson and punter Michael Dickson.

The Big 12 media preseason poll will be released Thursday. The annual Big 12 Media Days are next Monday and Tuesday from Frisco. Both days will be televised live from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Fox Sports affiliates.